Battle Spot First Competitive Team - BattleSpot Singles

[TheNamesShade]

I've dabbled into Competitive Battling a little bit over the years, but this is the first time I have genuinely gotten invested in it. I am pretty new at team building and I do not know a whole lot, so please bear with my ignorance. I am here not to brag about how much of a genius I am, I know that is far from true, I know I have a lot to learn and I am here for constructive criticism. I very much would like to get better at the game and am willing to hear whatever needs to be heard to improve. I'm not really good at making complicated EV spreads based on damage calculations, so any advice on that would be much appreciated.


Without further ado here is the current rain team I just came up with.

Pelipper - Calm Nature - 252 HP/252 SpD/4 Spe
Ability: Drizzle
Item: Damp Rock
Move-set:

• Scald
• Roost
• U-turn
• Hurricane

The Main support Pokemon of my team. Pelipper's priority function is to set the rain off and get things rolling for the rest of my team, while also acting as a check to physical attackers, potentially burning them with Scald. Because of this, I decided to invest into a Specially Defensive spread to add to its overall bulk. In addition to crippling physical attackers, a Rain-boosted STAB Scald still does a decent amount of damage to non-Walls, who will not appreciate taking a hit of it. Roost gives Pelipper a recovery option, and a way to stall out chip damage from possible burns. Hurricane seems pretty strong in Rain with the 100%, and gives Pelipper more coverage options. U-Turn gains momentum in the event of a switch-out, to allow for a Pokemon to benefit from the free switch in.

Tapu Koko - Timid Nature - 252 HP/252 Spe/4 SpA
Ability - Electric Surge
Item - Terrain Extender/Light Clay
Move-set:

• Reflect
• Light Screen
• Volt Switch
• Dazzling Gleam

The Secondary Support Pokemon of my Team. I have seen numerous Tapu Koko sets and spreads, but I decided to go with this one on a whim. I'm pretty sure I am using this Poke in the wrong way, but I will try to explain what I'm trying to accomplish here. I went with this EV Spread to allow Tapu Koko to survive a few hits after setting up some screens, allowing my team to tank several hits before they setup to clean house. The EV Spread and Nature also allow Tapu Koko out-speed a good majority of other Pokemon, guaranteeing Screen setup. A properly read Volt Switch allows me to remove Tapu Koko and setup a more favorable matchup. STAB Dazzling Gleam is simply for added coverage against Dark and Dragon Pokemon, which I lack some answers for in this comp. The Main purpose of Dual Screens and Terrain Extender is to set up for my sweeper of this Team, Raichu.

Raichu-A - Modest Nature - 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 HP
Ability - Surge Surfer
Item: Life Orb
Move-Set;

• Thunder
• Psychic/Psyshock
• Nasty Plot
• Focus Blast/Grass Knot

Alola Raichu shines with this comp, with Rain, Terrain, and Dual Screen Support. The idea I go for here, is to lead with Pelipper, switch out into Tapu Koko, and find a way to bring Raichu safely out. Once he is out on the field with Terrain and Rain (Ter-RAIN!!!!!), there is little that can stop this pudgey, fluffy, rat. Rain and Terrain allow Raichu to hit hard with a Terrain Boosted STAB Thunder with Life Orb bonus, severely denting or killing anything that is foolish to stay out. Psychic is an obvious must to take advantage of Raichu's full coverage, or can be substituted for Psyshock to deal with more Specially Defensive foes. If Raichu comes into play with both Terrain and Rain, this will force the opponent to switch most of the time, allowing for a free nasty Plot. If the opponent decides to stay, with Dual Screens up, Raichu is fairly likely to eat a hit before boosting up with Nasty Plot. Afterwards, it's all but gg ez from there on. Focus Blast rounds out the moveset, checking incoming Dark Types, or Grass Knot can be used to deal with Ground Types. I have found that if Raichu does eat a hit prior to Nasty Plot, and the opponent has priority moves, Raichu is in for a bad time. Most certainly does not like a Sucker Punch thats for sure.

Scizor - Impish Nature - 248 HP/ 44 Atk/ 16 Def/ 200 SpD
Ability: Technician
Item: Scizorite
Move-Set:

• Swords Dance
• Roost
• Bullet Punch
• U-Turn

I honestly forgot why I added Scizor into this mix. I needed something bulky that could take a hit, was immune to poison, and could set up against teams trying to stall me out and slow the momentum I had coming in with the rain. Scizor appreciates the rain support, weakening all fire types moves, and allowing him to get an SD in and do work. I was mainly having trouble with Clefables spamming Cosmic Power, and Toxic and it was really frustrating for my team of Special Attackers. I forget why I added Scizor here, so its kind of hard to come up with a decent explain. And with an explanation like that, it's probably evident that I dont need him here? I have seen success with him up til this point on Showdown, and I feel that he works really well on this team, I am just at a loss of words at the moment.

Marowak-A - Adamant Nature - 252 HP/ 16 Atk/ 44 Def/ 200 SpD
Ability: Lightning Rod
Item: Thick Club
Moveset:

• Will-o-Wisp
• Flare Blitz
• Earthquake
• Shadow Bone

Alright. I'm going to be perfectly honest. After Raichu, my thought process kind of went out the window. I'll try to explain my thinking in using Marowak-A here. With Pelipper leading, and being semi-bulky, some would look to take him out nice and quick with an Electric type move. With Marowak-A, that's not going to happen. Lightning Rod gives him a nicely appreciated Electric Immunity, incredibly useful with Tapu Koko running around. Being a common lead, Tapu Koko seems to be everywhere, and Marowak checks him completely. With 200 SpD and Fairy resistance due to Marowaks plethora of resistances, Tapu Koko is forced to switch out or take a fat Earthquake. On the enemy switch out, Marowak can provide a Will-O-Wisp, giving my team some more breathing room to set up. Although this is a rain team, it seems pretty redundant to carry Marowak-A around here, since his primary STAB attack is weakened. There are probably better options, but I feel as if he can work really well here. The EV Spread gives Marowak decent bulk, further magnified by a burnt enemy Poke, and with Thick Club this thing is going to leave a serious mark. I have experienced a great deal of Mimikyu, always switching into an unwelcome Will-O-Wisp, in there desperation to setup, Marowak is too tanky to take out in 1 or 2 hits, and eliminates the threat with Two Shadow Bones. In conclusion, Marowak is a Bulky Wall-breaker, that adds minimal utility, and checks threats to Pelipper.

Kingdra - Modest Nature - 252 SpA/ 252 Spe/ 4 HP
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
Moveset:

• Draco Meteor
• Hydro Pump
• Ice Beam
• Scald/ Flash Cannon

I use Kingdra as either a wallbreaker, early to mid game, or a sweeper under Rain late game. Kingdra soften things up for both Scizor and Raichu. allowing the former to set up an SD and clean house with Technician BP or the latter to fire away Life Orb Thunders and end a battle out with much opposition. The EV Spread and Choice Specs allows Kingdra to fire off a nuke right off the bat, catching anything that doesnt resist it in a pinch. Hydro Pump annihilates under the rain, and it's mere presence forces the opponent into a switch. Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump create a sort of mind game for the opponent, and the wrong decision can leave a serious dent in a Poke, or instant KO. Ice Beam is used against Pokemon resisting both moves, such as Tapu Bulu. Flash Cannon rounds out moveset, providing an option for incoming fairy types, like Mimikyu or the other Tapus. I suppose Scald works as well, with Rain Boost and Choice Specs and utility, this offers both offensive and defensive goodies for Kingdra.



I know towards the end it seemed like I was all over the place, and I was. I was trying to find last minute Pokemon to round out my team's weaknesses, and these were the answers I found. I have had the team work for me so far on Showdown, testing it around 10 times. It feels gimmicky, but I feel it can be played right, and when it does, it is hard to stop. That being said I have found my weaknesses to be priority Users, and Mixed Walls that set up defensive boosts. While I try to get rolling with Pelipper and Tapu Koko, they are already two steps ahead with +1.5 Spd/Def. ALthough in situations like these, I find that the Mixed Walls cannot handle +4 Scizor setting up in their face, and he usually takes care of the problem. I feel switching Tapu Lele could work to save Raichu from getting oneshot by Priority moves. I really think my EVs can be used better on Scizor and Marowak, kind of just took them of pre-existing Smogon sets as I'm sure you've noticed.


Overall I feel the team is decent, but I am not understanding somethings and would appreciate advice.
I have spent time lurking on Smogon for the better part of a year, so I have a sort of understanding of competitive battles. Now go on and tell me how mediocre, and trash my team is. I will appreciate any sort of criticism

 

[cant say]

This actually looks fairly decent for a first try, I've seen some rain teams on the ladder with similar frameworks, Marowak-A is surprisingly common on them for example.

At a glance it looks as though Focus Sash Garchomp could be annoying for you as it can work as an emergency check to your sweep, and if you're using both Pelliper and Tapu Koko to set up either Raichu or Kingdra then having your one sweeper stopped means you lose. A couple of ideas include running Air Balloon on Tapu Koko so you can switch into Garchomp's STAB moves for free, Hidden Power Ice on Raichu to nail Chomp hard (you can even try a Focus Sash of your own on Raichu but I understand wanting to use Life Orb), or Ice Beam on Pelliper. At the moment, Scizor is really your best answer to Chomp but random Fire Fang/Blast / Flamethrower ones bop it.

If you envision Flare Blitz being kinda useless on Marowak because of you using rain a lot, you can drop it for Perish Song or even Flame Charge. Perish Song is great for the random Eevee teams and things like Celesteela or when your opponent is on their last mon.

Specs Kingdra was great in Gen VI but that's because there were way less Fairy-types to worry about. Also relying on hitting 3 Hydro Pumps to sweep is super shaky. I've seen Waterium Z Kingdra being used and it looks really cool. I also really like Lum Berry but that's because I hate my sweepers getting paralysed.